plays [38]
he pay it!
DOROTHY (AT HIS FEET). Pity me; spare me, spare your Dorothy! I
love him - love him - love him!
FENWICK. Dorothy, you have robbed me of my happiness, and now
you would rob me of my revenge.
DOROTHY. I know it; and shall I ask, and you not grant?
FENWICK (RAISING HER). No, Dorothy, you shall ask nothing,
nothing in vain from me. You ask his life; I give it you, as I
would give you my soul; as I would give you my life, if I had any
left. My life is done; you have taken it. Not a hope, not an
end; not even revenge. (HE SITS.) Dorothy, you see your work.
DOROTHY. O God, forgive me.
FENWICK. Ay, Dorothy, He will, as I do.
DOROTHY. As you do? Do you forgive me, John?
FENWICK. Ay, more than that, poor soul. I said my life was
done, I was wrong; I have still a duty. It is not in vain you
taught me; I shall still prove to you that it was not in vain.
You shall soon find that I am no backward friend. Farewell.
MUSICAL INDUCTION: 'THE LASS OF RICHMOND HILL.'
ACT II.
The Stage represents George Austin's dressing-room. Elaborate
toilet-table, R., with chair; a cheval glass so arranged as to
correspond with glass on table. Breakfast-table, L., front.
Door, L. The Beau is discovered at table, in dressing-grown,
trifling with correspondence. MENTEITH is frothing chocolate.
SCENE I
AUSTIN, MENTEITH
MENTEITH. At the barber's, Mr. George, I had the pleasure of
meeting two of the Dook's gentlemen.
AUSTIN. Well, and was his Royal Highness satisfied with his
quarters?
MENTEITH. Quite so, Mr. George. Delighted, I believe.
AUSTIN. I am rejoiced to hear it. I wish I could say I was as
pleased with my journey, Menteith. This is the first time I ever
came to the Wells in another person's carriage; Duke or not, it
shall be the last, Menteith.
MENTEITH. Ah, Mr. George, no wonder. And how many times have we
made that journey back and forth?
AUSTIN. Enough to make us older than we look.
MENTEITH. To be sure, Mr. George, you do wear well.
AUSTIN. WE wear well, Menteith.
MENTEITH. I hear, Mr. George, that Miss Musgrave is of the
company.
AUSTIN. Is she so? Well, well! well, well!
MENTEITH. I've not seen the young lady myself, Mr. George; but
the barber tells me she's looking poorly.
AUSTIN. Poorly?
MENTEITH. Yes, Mr. George, poorly was his word.
AUSTIN. Well, Menteith, I am truly sorry. She is not the first.
MENTEITH. Yes, Mr. George. (A BELL. MENTEITH GOES OUT, AND RE-
ENTERS WITH CARD.)
AUSTIN (WITH CARD). Whom have we here? Anthony Musgrave?
MENTEITH. A fine young man, Mr. George; and with a look of the
young lady, but not so gentlemanly.
AUSTIN. You have an eye, you have an eye. Let him in.
SCENE II
AUSTIN, MENTEITH, ANTHONY
AUSTIN. I am charmed to have this opportunity, Mr. Musgrave.
You belong to my old corps, I think? And how does my good
friend, Sir Frederick? I had his line; but like all my old
comrades, he thinks last about himself, and gives me not of his
news.
ANTHONY. I protest, sir, this is a very proud moment. Your name
is still remembered in the regiment. (AUSTIN BOWS.) The Colonel
- he keeps his health, sir, considering his age (AUSTIN BOWS
AGAIN, AND LOOKS AT MENTEITH) - tells us young men you were a
devil of a fellow in your time.
AUSTIN. I believe I was - in my time. Menteith, give Mr.
Musgrave a dish of chocolate. So, sir, we see you at the Wells.
ANTHONY. I have but just alighted. I had but one thought, sir:
to pay my respects to Mr. Austin. I have not yet kissed my aunt
and sister.
AUSTIN. In my time - to which you refer - the ladies had come
first.
ANTHONY. The women? I take you, sir. But then you see, a man's
relatives don't count. And besides, Mr. Austin, between men of
the world, I am fairly running away from the sex: I am
positively in flight. Little Hortense of the Opera; you know;
she sent her love to you. She's mad about me, I think. You
never saw a creature so fond.
DOROTHY (AT HIS FEET). Pity me; spare me, spare your Dorothy! I
love him - love him - love him!
FENWICK. Dorothy, you have robbed me of my happiness, and now
you would rob me of my revenge.
DOROTHY. I know it; and shall I ask, and you not grant?
FENWICK (RAISING HER). No, Dorothy, you shall ask nothing,
nothing in vain from me. You ask his life; I give it you, as I
would give you my soul; as I would give you my life, if I had any
left. My life is done; you have taken it. Not a hope, not an
end; not even revenge. (HE SITS.) Dorothy, you see your work.
DOROTHY. O God, forgive me.
FENWICK. Ay, Dorothy, He will, as I do.
DOROTHY. As you do? Do you forgive me, John?
FENWICK. Ay, more than that, poor soul. I said my life was
done, I was wrong; I have still a duty. It is not in vain you
taught me; I shall still prove to you that it was not in vain.
You shall soon find that I am no backward friend. Farewell.
MUSICAL INDUCTION: 'THE LASS OF RICHMOND HILL.'
ACT II.
The Stage represents George Austin's dressing-room. Elaborate
toilet-table, R., with chair; a cheval glass so arranged as to
correspond with glass on table. Breakfast-table, L., front.
Door, L. The Beau is discovered at table, in dressing-grown,
trifling with correspondence. MENTEITH is frothing chocolate.
SCENE I
AUSTIN, MENTEITH
MENTEITH. At the barber's, Mr. George, I had the pleasure of
meeting two of the Dook's gentlemen.
AUSTIN. Well, and was his Royal Highness satisfied with his
quarters?
MENTEITH. Quite so, Mr. George. Delighted, I believe.
AUSTIN. I am rejoiced to hear it. I wish I could say I was as
pleased with my journey, Menteith. This is the first time I ever
came to the Wells in another person's carriage; Duke or not, it
shall be the last, Menteith.
MENTEITH. Ah, Mr. George, no wonder. And how many times have we
made that journey back and forth?
AUSTIN. Enough to make us older than we look.
MENTEITH. To be sure, Mr. George, you do wear well.
AUSTIN. WE wear well, Menteith.
MENTEITH. I hear, Mr. George, that Miss Musgrave is of the
company.
AUSTIN. Is she so? Well, well! well, well!
MENTEITH. I've not seen the young lady myself, Mr. George; but
the barber tells me she's looking poorly.
AUSTIN. Poorly?
MENTEITH. Yes, Mr. George, poorly was his word.
AUSTIN. Well, Menteith, I am truly sorry. She is not the first.
MENTEITH. Yes, Mr. George. (A BELL. MENTEITH GOES OUT, AND RE-
ENTERS WITH CARD.)
AUSTIN (WITH CARD). Whom have we here? Anthony Musgrave?
MENTEITH. A fine young man, Mr. George; and with a look of the
young lady, but not so gentlemanly.
AUSTIN. You have an eye, you have an eye. Let him in.
SCENE II
AUSTIN, MENTEITH, ANTHONY
AUSTIN. I am charmed to have this opportunity, Mr. Musgrave.
You belong to my old corps, I think? And how does my good
friend, Sir Frederick? I had his line; but like all my old
comrades, he thinks last about himself, and gives me not of his
news.
ANTHONY. I protest, sir, this is a very proud moment. Your name
is still remembered in the regiment. (AUSTIN BOWS.) The Colonel
- he keeps his health, sir, considering his age (AUSTIN BOWS
AGAIN, AND LOOKS AT MENTEITH) - tells us young men you were a
devil of a fellow in your time.
AUSTIN. I believe I was - in my time. Menteith, give Mr.
Musgrave a dish of chocolate. So, sir, we see you at the Wells.
ANTHONY. I have but just alighted. I had but one thought, sir:
to pay my respects to Mr. Austin. I have not yet kissed my aunt
and sister.
AUSTIN. In my time - to which you refer - the ladies had come
first.
ANTHONY. The women? I take you, sir. But then you see, a man's
relatives don't count. And besides, Mr. Austin, between men of
the world, I am fairly running away from the sex: I am
positively in flight. Little Hortense of the Opera; you know;
she sent her love to you. She's mad about me, I think. You
never saw a creature so fond.